Patricia Generazio’s Presious Passion, one of the most popular horses ever to race at Monmouth Park, will
make his long-awaited return to the turf in the $75,000 Elkwood Stakes on
Saturday, May 19.

The son of Royal Anthem, who won the
2008 and 2009 runnings of the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes in his trademark
front-running fashion, has not been seen on the racetrack since Jan. 29, 2011,
nearly a year and a half ago.

“He had a breathing problem that
contributed to his attitude problem,” trainer Mary Hartmann said. “He spent
most of last year on the farm, and then I picked him up to take him down to
Florida with me in the fall. He was training, and his throat problem finally
came to the point where it could be treated.

“He had throat surgery to correct
the breathing problem, and the surgery was successful. He looks good, he’s
training well, and his attitude is good,” Hartmann said.

The strapping chestnut, now a
9-year-old, showed he’s ready to resume with a six-furlong work breeze from the
gate in 1:15 3/5 here last Saturday.

“The Elkwood is only a mile, not his
best distance,” Hartmann said. “But it’s the perfect spot to bring him back to
the races. If all goes well in that, we’ll point him for the ($200,000, Grade
2) Monmouth Stakes on June 10.”

Hartmann said there could be a new
Presious Passion on the horizon. His dam, Princesa’s Passion, has a yearling
colt by English champion Giant’s Causeway, which would make a perfect turf
pedigree.